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Mission shaped ministry course set for Norfolk

2010: Do you have a heart for sharing Jesus with people who are not yet part of any church? Want to start a fresh expression of church but need some guidance? Then the mission shaped ministry course running in Norfolk next year could be for you.

The one-year part-time course starts in January 2011 and includes six week nights and four Saturdays up until November 2011. Lay and ordained people are trained together in teams. They then identify opportunities and possibilities in their communities and networks and go home each month ready to try new things.

Topics covered will include:

• Mission context
• the Mission of God
• Vision and Call
• Preparation for Mission
• What is Church?
• Gospel and Culture
• Team roles and behaviour
• Leadership
• Discipleship
• Handling opposition, setbacks and failures
• Worship and the sacraments

Both regional and national speakers are involved including Graham Cray (Director of national Fresh Expressions), Lindsay Urwin (priest administrator at Walsingham), Graham James, Bishop of Norwich and Graham Thompson, Chair of East Anglia Methodist District. There will be lots of practical input from people who have started and successfully grown Fresh Expressions of Church in rural and urban situations over a number of years.

Testimony from a participant

Julie Coleman who now helps to lead a Fresh Expression of Church called “One” in Southrepps said, “For me personally the course helped me to understand more and helped me to see that it’s not all about putting lots of people into church each Sunday but meeting people where they are. For example we run a very successful youth group in the village – about 55 ten to fourteen year olds. They meet weekly and get about 30 youngsters and whereas some might think they should be going to church on Sunday, they accept that the youth group meeting is their church.” Julie feels the course gave her the sensitivity and skills to help her deal with people who want the young people to go to traditional services. She also found some of the teaching very useful in leading small groups. After the msm course, their fresh expression of church made significant changes in that their services/worship is led members of the congregation. They have also been able to step back and look at vision and values and it is working really well. “We try to consider what God wants us to do rather than trying to please everyone.”

Participants are encouraged to come if possible as a team who want to work together and participating teams the opportunity to make the most of a mission coach/mentor, someone who will come alongside them and help them establish/ develop new ways of being church. The cost is just £190 per student, including all materials and lunch on the Saturdays and some support may be available for those wanting to attend.

For further information, please contact: Rev Sally Gaze tel: 01508 470762 or e-mail sally.gaze@norwich.anglican.org.

Or click here to download a booking form.